One of the most beautiful days that I have spent has been exploring the Panorama Route in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa.

Drakensberg Mountains, Panorama Route, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Our first stop was near this souvenir shop and we had a fabulous view of Drakensberg Mountains. Sam was our driver and guide. The roads were a pleasure in itself with little traffic and a lot of traffic sense.

The Three Rondavels, Panorama Route, South Africa

The Three Rondavels was our next spot. Rondavels are traditional South African huts and the three mountains on the left resemble the huts, hence the name the Three Rondavels. All the natural attractions have ample car parking. They also have wheelchair accessible routes. The walking involved is not much by my standards.

Souvenir Shops at the Panorama Route, South Africa

Not only the routes have beautiful stops, they were also full of colorful souvenirs shops. Bargaining is the natural way of shopping. I am not big on shopping but I also ended up picking more than I normally shop for.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Panorama Route, South Africa

Bourke’s Luck Potholes derive their name from Tom Bourke who was prospecting for gold in the area. The potholes are part of Blyde River Canyon. They have been formed by the natural grinding of stones with water along the route.

Waterfall at Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Panorama Route, South Africa

There is a beautiful waterfall right along the Bourke’s Luck Potholes. As we were a bunch of Indians we all agreed that it was better to have potholes in a canyon than on the Indian roads.

The Berlin Waterfall, Panorama Route, South Africa

Our next two stops were waterfalls. The first one is called the Berlin Waterfall. I was there in the harsh mid day light which doesn’t do much for the photographs. We also thought we wanted to spend one day at each attraction rather than doing all the attractions in one day. We had lunch at the famous Harrie’s Pancakes at Graskop. We got out after more than an hour, fully stuffed. The pan cakes are huge and delicious.

The Lisbon Waterfalls, Panorama Route, South Africa

The bigger of the two waterfalls is the Lisbon Waterfall. As we had a few attractions left to cover, we this place in 15 minutes. I was the last person to get back to the car!

The Pinnacle, Panorama Route, South Africa

Our next stop was the Pinnacle. The Pinnacle is a single column of dolomite rock rising above from the valley. The sun was already casting long shadows and we still had to visit God’s Window, our last stop on the route.

God’s Window, Panorama Route, South Africa

Our last stop was the beautiful God’s Window. The light was fading fast at this spot. How I wish we really had one day at each attraction so that I could photograph them in the best light.

Panorama Route, South Africa

With the light giving everything a golden glow, it was time to head back to a Sabi River Sun Hotel and then home the next day. It was a beautiful end to a beautiful journey. South Africa will always remain special.

I am Mridula Dwivedi, I love to travel! I started my travel blog in 2005. I have been going places since! For more details do check out my media kit! In another life I did a Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur. I was a professor when I quit my job in 2015.